Box Score
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - In a game that featured seven total home runs, the University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (28-18, 9-8 WAC) fell to the New Mexico State Aggies (20-25, 5-12) 8-6 in the first game of a doubleheader at Presley Askew Field Saturday.
Jayson Kramer (3-3) struck out six in 3.0 innings, but took the loss in relief. Kyle McFadden (2-1) allowed just one hit in 3.2 innings to get the win for the Aggies.
Landon Hernandez led the way for Hawai`i, going 3-for-4 with a home run. Jonathan Hee added a 2-for-4 game with two runs while Justin Frash was 2-for-5 with two doubles. Kevin Macdonald was 1-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs. Brandon Haislet added a 1-for-3 game with two RBI,with Kris Sanchez going 1-for-3 with a home run.
Macdonald got the Rainbows started early, blasting his first career home run, a two-run shot to left, putting UH up 2-0 in the first inning. But NMSU responded in the bottom of the inning as Adam Harvey hit a three-run home run, giving the Aggies a 3-2 edge after one inning.
The 'Bows added thre more runs in the top of the second on a solo home run by Hernandez and a two-run single by Haislet, giving Hawai`i a 5-3 advantage. Sanchez then hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth, extending the UH lead to 6-3.
NMSU's Ryan Gibson cut the deficit back to one run in the bottom of the fourth, hitting a two-run homer to make it 6-5.
The scoring settled down a bit during the middle innings. Hawai`i had a great opportunity to extend their lead in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with just one out. But the Aggies came up with a timely double play, keeping the Rainbow lead to just one run. A Rainbow error and a passed ball led to a run by NMSU in the bottom of the sixth, tying the game at 6-6.
The Aggies then took the lead in the bottom of the eighth, posting back-to-back homers by Joseph Scaperotta and Harvey that proved to be the game-winners, giving NMSU the 8-6 victory.
The 'Bows and Aggies will close out their series with the second game of the doubleheader.
-UH-